NUMERICAL MODELING OF POWER-STATION STEAM CONDENSERS .1. CONVERGENCE BEHAVIOR OF A FINITE-VOLUME MODEL

Computer simulation models of the flow and heat transfer in power stat ion steam condensers have the potential for becoming important design tools. These computer models may be used to improve existing designs b y identifying ways to improve condenser vacuum and to minimize flow-in duced tube vibration. To date, such models seem to have experienced co nvergence problems, or require information to be specified that would not normally be known a priori. This article describes components of a finite-volume model that is thought to be typical of those used by se veral investigators. The convergence characteristics of this model are described when it is applied to two problems. This model, and ifs con vergence characteristics, provide a baseline against which improvement s can be measured. The impact of various improvements to this model ar e reported in a companion article.